Preaching certain subjects

ExpandCollapse

New Member

There are several here who are Pastors or who hold some position in their church as a teacher. Are there any topics you would not preach on from an exhaustive style of teaching or perhaps just shy away from because it might have a negative effect on some listening?For instance Homosexuality, divorce and re-marriage, abortion, women's role in the church, marriage roles, same gender marriage, hell, leadership qualifications (deacons and pastors), borrowing or credit, obeying the laws even speed laws, and so on. You may have some others. This is not about not preaching non biblical topics, but biblical ones, so are any of these mentioned, things you just do not bring up or conveniently do not get around to?

ExpandCollapse

New Member

There are several here who are Pastors or who hold some position in their church as a teacher. Are there any topics you would not preach on from an exhaustive style of teaching or perhaps just shy away from because it might have a negative effect on some listening?For instance Homosexuality, divorce and re-marriage, abortion, women's role in the church, marriage roles, same gender marriage, hell, leadership qualifications (deacons and pastors), borrowing or credit, obeying the laws even speed laws, and so on. You may have some others. This is not about not preaching non biblical topics, but biblical ones, so are any of these mentioned, things you just do not bring up or conveniently do not get around to?

Click to expand...

ANY subject that God addresses within the Bible is "fair game" its just that one has to determine IF best to teach on subect in just a sermon/teaching, extended number of weeks, or else more like in a Sunday School setting!

ExpandCollapse

New Member

ANY subject that God addresses within the Bible is "fair game" its just that one has to determine IF best to teach on subect in just a sermon/teaching, extended number of weeks, or else more like in a Sunday School setting!

ExpandCollapse

Active Member

It may also depend on what you mean by "preaching on". I have not preached a sermon about homosexuality, but when it comes up in Scripture (as I go thru Romans) or in Ephesians and Genesis when we talk about marriage, I deal with it.

This is what we try to do with the other topics you mentioned. One of the great things about expositional, text centered preaching is that you deal with all the topics but in the broader context of all of God's Word and you don't make a topic a hobby horse.

ExpandCollapse

Administrator

Administrator

I believe my husband would preach on any of those things - but maybe not "exhaustive" because of sensitivity to offense. In other words, we don't need to get into an exhaustive teaching on homosexuality because honestly, the whole thing is offensive to me (the thought is so gross to me) but I'd love to be able to have teaching on what the Bible says about it and how God is stronger than any sin and how we as Christians can respond in a godly, biblical way.

I don't believe anything is "off limits" necessarily but we need to be sensitive to the audience as far as not speaking of what happens physically in a homosexual relationship or something like that - in other words, make sure it's no more than PG in rating. But it's important for our people to understand what the Bible says about things - even the tough things - and how we should respond when faced with those issues.

ExpandCollapse

New Member

I believe my husband would preach on any of those things - but maybe not "exhaustive" because of sensitivity to offense. In other words, we don't need to get into an exhaustive teaching on homosexuality because honestly, the whole thing is offensive to me (the thought is so gross to me) but I'd love to be able to have teaching on what the Bible says about it and how God is stronger than any sin and how we as Christians can respond in a godly, biblical way.

I don't believe anything is "off limits" necessarily but we need to be sensitive to the audience as far as not speaking of what happens physically in a homosexual relationship or something like that - in other words, make sure it's no more than PG in rating. But it's important for our people to understand what the Bible says about things - even the tough things - and how we should respond when faced with those issues.

ExpandCollapse

Administrator

Administrator

No - I'm not speaking of not offending as in not speaking on a topic but let's say we're talking about pornography. We don't need to get into the sexual issue because we are speaking to a mixed group of people and people from all walks of life so for some, we need to tone down how graphically we talk about it. But I think this is a VITAL issue that needs to be addressed and there are ways to discuss it that it will be fine to speak of in the regular public sector - but then absolutely, the men and women should be separated and much stronger language used to speak to the different sexes.

Every one of the topics you mentioned are vitally important that we teach from the pulpit but we don't need to talk about what happens behind closed doors (and if I typed it here, it would be edited by the moderators so I will not even go there) in graphic detail. We need to have a filter of modesty in the regular church service, IMO. It's not at all compromise. It's called wisdom.

ExpandCollapse

Administrator

Administrator

Thanks - That's what I mean. It's not "I don't want to offend with telling the truth of what Scripture says about the Bible" but instead "I don't want to offend with speaking of that which should not be spoken of".

ExpandCollapse

New Member

This discussion reminds me of this winter when i invited the lesbians who are our next door neighbors to church with my wife and I. They accepted, and the pastor taught on Colossians 3. He was "tactful" and did not hammer away at any given term in that dirty laundry list. Just spoke about what is sin in God's eyes and moved on to what is not.

They are well aware that the world sees their behavior as "sinful" and they accept that, knowing full well that they will probably never gain the approval of either the church or the culture. Not until Christ changes them will they change, and no amount of preaching, teaching, or otherwise badgering them into change will actually be effective unless or until they are made a new creation in Christ.

ExpandCollapse

Well-Known Member

I'm teaching a brief series on the theology of the body (the human body) in Sunday School over the next few weeks as a late summer series before we begin another expositional book study.

We're going to hit on a bunch of controversial issues out of necessity because of the nature of the subject.

As an introduction to the series, we looked at a number of foundational texts last Sunday which included the creation narratives, the incarnation, the resurrection of Jesus, the promise of Jesus to resurrect our bodies, and the nature of the resurrection body (1 Corinthians 15). We simply did a quick review of each as an introduction to some of the issues we are going to consider.

But the text that made everyone uncomfortable was 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, which teaches, among other things, that:

- We don't have the right to do anything we want with our bodies
- We are temples of the Holy Spirit, the place the world should be able to see the Kingdom of God in action at any time (although God was active all over the world in the days of the physical temple in Jerusalem, a person could be sure to encounter God at the temple because God had placed His name/presence there)
- Sins against one's body (and the bodies of others) are more serious than other sins, like theft for instance, because of their direct relationship with our identity and God's nature
- We have been bought with a price!!

This is a very unpopular message in our culture and I think all of us had some discomfort with it as we began to consider the implications.

We'll see how things go in about three weeks when we hit this passage head on in a lesson on lifestyle choices. Personally, I'm dreading it because if I'm going to have an credibility as a Bible teacher, I'm going to have to take better care of my body and work on physical fitness.

ExpandCollapse

New Member

No - I'm not speaking of not offending as in not speaking on a topic but let's say we're talking about pornography. We don't need to get into the sexual issue because we are speaking to a mixed group of people and people from all walks of life so for some, we need to tone down how graphically we talk about it. But I think this is a VITAL issue that needs to be addressed and there are ways to discuss it that it will be fine to speak of in the regular public sector - but then absolutely, the men and women should be separated and much stronger language used to speak to the different sexes.

Every one of the topics you mentioned are vitally important that we teach from the pulpit but we don't need to talk about what happens behind closed doors (and if I typed it here, it would be edited by the moderators so I will not even go there) in graphic detail. We need to have a filter of modesty in the regular church service, IMO. It's not at all compromise. It's called wisdom.

Click to expand...

Thank you for correcting that as I agree with what you have said.:thumbsup:

ExpandCollapse

Administrator

Administrator

Thank you for correcting that as I agree with what you have said.:thumbsup:

Click to expand...

I had a feeling you misunderstood. While I said "offend", there are two kinds of "offense" IMO. One is that someone gets offended because we are so "narrow minded" sort of thing - or even that the Gospel offends. The other is to be offended by very graphic talk or to be offended by something like that pastor thanking God for his "hot wife". Bleck!!

ExpandCollapse

Well-Known Member

Everything is an open to introspection and reflection, therefore, I am open to the Holy Ghost when it comes to preaching. If I take the pulpit without prayerful consideration of what the Father wants heard, I often feel alone and lost, and end up fumbling around in a very disconnected message.

Preaching is going to poke, probe, and step on toes, where necessary, especially if that is what it takes to convict and implement change in one's heart, walk and life. We are the Temple of the living God, and I believe that preaching is something like setting the Holy Ghost loose as the ultimate interior decorator who comes in regularly and points out what needs to be tossed out, and what needs to be brought in to make that living temple home to His indwelling spirit and presence.

If someone is offended, it usually means that God has ordered some specific changes and creative alterations and modifications in that temple in order to bring Him the ultimate glory! raying:

ExpandCollapse

<img src =/tim2.jpg>

I had a feeling you misunderstood. While I said "offend", there are two kinds of "offense" IMO. One is that someone gets offended because we are so "narrow minded" sort of thing - or even that the Gospel offends. The other is to be offended by very graphic talk or to be offended by something like that pastor thanking God for his "hot wife". Bleck!!

Click to expand...

That was.. "smokin hot wife"... LOL

As for the OP.. I think I have preached or taught, or both on all of those issues when the Bible text presented the opportunity.

Quick Navigation

Support us!

The management of Baptist Board works very hard to make sure the community is running the best software, best design, and all the other bells and whistles that goes into a forum our size.Your support is much appreciated!